UHF use.....

Submitted: Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 06:40

ThreadID: 14582 Views:2187 Replies:6 FollowUps:9

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Member - Brian (Gold Coast)

I posted this reply to Ruths earlier Big Red report, but thought I would copy it here anyway. Firstly, I realize that UHF is "free-to-air", I realize that swearing can't be stopped, I realize I can (and do) turn the UHF off.

Listening in to the highway channel is great for the info that the truckies exchange (bless 'em) and the occassional swear word tends to get overlooked.

We have just returned from two weeks between Gold Coast and Canberra, the language on UHF around Sydney is woeful. We simply turned it off, obviously you can't stop it any other way. I don't mean swearing to accentuate a point, I mean swearing for the sake of swearing coupled with abusive swearing for no apparent reason. And it seems every channell we tried had someone on there and their dictionaries all started at the letter "F". Why on earth people can't talk over the UHF without resorting to bad language is beyond me, but like I said, we can't stop it so we turn it off. Once beyond "City Limits" the language was cut to a minimum, and the useful information about the road ahead outweighs the occassional curse.

Our 11 year old son is mildly autistic, (Aspergers Syndrome), and lives by our rules as a matter of ritual. "Dad, how come that man on the radio is allowed to swear?" becomes a rather tricky question to answer to a kid who is taught not to swear! LOL....

Like I said, I can't stop it.... doesn't mean I can't whinge about it!!!! LOL

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Reply By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 07:35

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 07:35

Thanks for that Brian, in the instance I referred to before, most small outback towns and properties which surround them rely on the UHF as a means of communications. Most Australians don't realise that most small towns and properties DO NOT HAVE mobile telephone service, which means the UHF is their communications between house and paddock and ringers doing musters, helicopters doing musters etc. where there are long distances, say 300 kilometres of dirt roads the UHF is sometimes the only way there is to communicate road accidents, farm accidents etc. and outback people rely on this.
I totally agree about the swearing though on all channels - can't see the need for it.

AnswerID: 67401

Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 07:47

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 07:47

Ruth,
I see your point and am in agrreance (Is that a word??) with this. I see UHF as a great tool to use for comms..... others see it as a toy that has been designed for them alone. We are quite strict with the use of our radios.. others in our club are not so strict. But on a club trip where the only people being inconvenianced is our own members... I guess it's something we can put up with.
Another thing I noticed is that while here on the Gold Coast our chanels are for the most part "empty" most of the time, in Sydney just about every channel had traffic. And most of that traffic was pointless rubbish containing very few useful examples of the english language. I haven't had the pleasure of going "outback" yet, but would imagine that it would be rare to find all channels "busy" at any one time, given the population/distances involved? To me, it doesn't seem hard to change channels if we're in someone elses "backyard".......... unfortunately common courtesy often is overlooked.

FollowupID: 328117

Follow Up By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 07:58

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 07:58

Common courtesy and simple good manners are becoming a thing of the past - and I am speaking about adults! LOL (sadly)

FollowupID: 328119

Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 08:01

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 08:01

Oh yeah.... ain't that the truth!!!!!!!!!!!

FollowupID: 328120

Reply By: Draff & Pand - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 08:25

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 08:25

Hi all,

Just wondering if in the interests of helping people who are 'trying to do the right thing' - could someone please post a summary of what channels should be used for what? And the basic good etiquette rules? When travelling through other people's areas we always try to 'tread lightly' and act in the appropriate manner remembering that these areas are someone elses homes and workplaces, (living in a tourist area we know first hand how annoying travellers can be!!), however it has been tricky finding out the appropriate channels to use or listen to. I can find lots of info on how UHFs are badly used but very little on what channels you should use!! I also detest swearing so agree completely with Brian's comments above. We will be a single car travelling on our own so we have an in-car UHF which basically we just want to be able to use to get help if something goes horribly wrong and we have 2 handhelds for if some people go walking away from the car and we want to maintain contact for emergencies. What channels should we be using in these situations?

Thanks in advance!

AnswerID: 67405

Follow Up By: Member - Sparkie (QLD) - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:15

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:15

Good idea.

I too would like to know which channels are considered 'off limits'. I know Truckies use channel 40 but are there emergency channels as such.

Please share this knowledge as I am a dry sponge waiting to suck in all that knowledge people take for granted.

Sparkie(IE not Y) ;-)

FollowupID: 328129

Reply By: Hughey - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:10

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:10

To Draff and Pand.
Good info and worth joining. http://www.acbro.org/index.htm
Regards
Hughey

AnswerID: 67408

Follow Up By: Draff & Pand - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:42

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:42

Thanks Hughey - great link - very useful info.

FollowupID: 328132

Reply By: Member - Sparkie (QLD) - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:20

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:20

UHF CB RADIO CHANNEL ALLOCATION

USED FOR CHANNEL/S COMMENTS

Calling
Established by law
11

To call or locate another station. Parties then switch to a conversation channel

Conversations

9,
12 to 17,
19 to 21,
24 to 30,
39

Used for conversations between stations

Highway Communications

40
Mainly used by Truck Drivers and other Highway users

Caravaners, Campers

18
Holiday Maker’s communication channel, e.g., when in convey

4WDrivers

10
Used by 4WD enthusiasts, clubs, convoys and in national parks.

Emergency Calling
Established by law
5
Can be used by anyone in an emergency situation ONLY

Repeaters
Established by law

1 to 8
31 to 38
In duplex mode, repeaters need two channels to work. Receives on 1 to 8. Transmits on 31 to 38 (automatically). When within range of a repeater, it will increase the communications distance. Operation in simplex mode on these channels is not permitted when within range of a repeater.

Data Transmissions
Established by law
22, 23

No voice transmissions allowed on these two channels

Just found this on that previous link.

Sparkie(IE not Y) ;-)

AnswerID: 67410

Follow Up By: Draff & Pand - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:28

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:28

Thanks Sparkie!

FollowupID: 328131

Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 18:04

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 18:04

Thanks Sparkie!
But can you (or anyone else for that matter) explain why the truckies highway channel is 29 between Sydney and Brisbane???? We found this out on our trip......

FollowupID: 328176

Reply By: Member - Wim (Bris) - Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:20

Monday, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:20

Brian.
Not a new problem. I can remember some thirty years (ooh that hurts) having the same problem with CB radio. Only solution, turn it off.
Thats why we all like to head outback, leave all that city (low) life behind.

BTW just recently did Bris-Can ourselves. Mostly on dirt. 200k's shorter but 26hrs longer. Lost of fun.

Have a good day.